The present invention relates to a method and means therefor for filing and storing computer diskettes in such a way that diskettes containing particular data can be easily recognized and found.
The common practice for filing and storing computer diskettes is to insert the diskettes inside the sleeves normally supplied with the diskettes and then keep the diskette/sleeve combinations standing vertically in file boxes. The diskettes are normally supplied together with labels equipped with pressure sensitive adhesive. These labels are to be placed on the face of the diskette by the user and filled with the information regarding the data stored on the particular diskette. This method has some drawbacks, for example the diskette manufactures normally warn about writing anything on the label once it is placed on the diskette especially with any sharp-pointed writing instrument because this may damage the diskette. The space available on these small labels is also very limited and in most applications it is not possible to even have a full listing of the contents of the diskette, not to mention the possibility to write further descriptive notes about the contents and/or instructions on how to use the data stored in them. It is also impossible to write on these labels while the diskette is inside a diskette drive, precisely at the time when there is the need to record certain events which are taking place within the data and/or programs inside the computer.
Another way of showing the contents of a diskette, is to produce a listing of the data either by hand or with the help of computer software programs and to store this listing next to the diskette. Commercially available applications for this method normally use specially made storage pockets which can accommodate both the diskette and its listing next to each other. These storage pockets are normally quite large in size and, therefore, are kept in hanging suspension files or in a book form. Disadvantages of these systems are that the information regarding a diskette does not follow the diskette when it is removed from its large, often totally stationary file. Secondly, if computer programs are used to create the information, the system is limited to the format and content that this particular program is able to handle and produce.
The objective of the invention is to provide a method and means to file computer diskettes in such a way that while the need to write on the diskette label is minimized it becomes simultaneously easier for the user to indicate and see in detail what kind of data is stored on the diskette, to show the instructions of how to use it, to make this information portable with the diskettes and to make it easier to file the diskettes in such a way that diskettes with a particular type of data are readily recognizable whether inside or outside the filing boxes.
The present invention consists of a method of associating and identifying the computer diskette with a particular filing pocket, by means of a small selfadhesive label which is to be attached to the diskette by the user and to be marked with a same code which is being written on the filing pocket by the user, the said filing pocket being constructed in such a way that it allows all or most of the relevant information regarding this particular diskette to be written by the user on at least one face of the pocket.
In the basic form of the invention a label with pressure sensitive adhesive is placed on the diskette and an identification code is written on the label as well as on a filing enclosure, which is constructed so that a considerable surface area of this enclosure is available for the user to write any information, which is found to be relevant regarding the particular diskette stored within this enclosure. It should be noted that the invention does not only provide a substantially larger area for the computer operator to write notes on, but it also makes it unnecessary to write anything on any label on the diskette (it is easy and quite practical to write the identification code on the sticker before attaching it to the diskette) therefore eliminated the possibility of damaging the diskette while writing on the label.
The following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention uses the word "pocket" to describe the filing enclosure. However, the invention is not limited to pocket-type enclosures but covers the use of any type of filing enclosures within the enclosed claims. The phrase "bottom of the pocket" is used to describe the section of the diskette filing enclosure which is opposite to the "opening of the pocket" where the diskette is principally inserted, regardless of the orientation of the pocket when it is placed inside a filing box.
The word "top", on the other hand, is used in the following text to specify the section of the filing enclosure which is topmost at any particular time when the enclosure/diskette combination is being stored in vertical or near vertical position in a storage box. Consequently, the top section of the filing enclosure is not necessarily opposite to the bottom of the enclosure as these sections are defined in this disclosure.
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a filing system for computer diskettes comprising an identification label and a filing enclosure having an area printed with lines for writing information, said label including a pressure sensitive adhesive to permit attachment to a diskette and said filing enclosure made of a sheet material comprising a front panel and back panel each having a top portion, bottom portion and side portions, said bottom portion of said front and back panel connected by a transverse fold line to form a closed bottom, said top portion of said front and back panel secured together to form a closed top and at least one of said side portions of said front and back panel each including a cut-out forming an open end with an opposite side portion of said front and back panel secured together to form a closed side, whereby a filing enclosure is formed having a dimension between said closed top and bottom greater than a first dimension of the diskette with the distance between said closed side and said open end less than a second dimension of the diskette such that the diskette projects outwardly beyond the periphery of said filing enclosure to permit viewing of said label, said filing enclosure and said label including indicia means that are visually similar to readily indicate matching placement of a diskette to a filing enclosure.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a filing system for computer diskettes comprising an identification label and a filing enclosure having an area printed with lines for writing information, said label including a pressure sensitive adhesive to permit attachment to a diskette and said filing enclosure made of a sheet material comprising a front panel and back panel each having a first portion, second portion and spaced opposed third and fourth portions, said first portion of said front and back panel secured together to form a first closed portion said second portion of said front and back panel connected by a transverse fold line to form a second closed portion and at least one of said third or fourth portions of said front and back panel each including a cut-out forming an open end with said other one of said third or fourth portion of said front and back panel secured together to form another closed portion, whereby a filing enclosure is formed having a dimension between said closed first and second portions greater than a first dimension of the diskette with the distance between said another closed portion and said open end of said third and fourth portions being less than a second dimension of the diskette such that the diskette projects outwardly beyond the periphery of said filing enclosure to permit viewing of said label, said filing enclosure and said label including indicia means that are visually similar to readily indicate matching placement of a diskette to a filing enclosure.
Yet another aspect of this invention relates to a filing system for computer diskettes comprising an identification label and a filing enclosure having an area printed with lines for writing information, said label including a pressure sensitive adhesive to permit attachment to a diskette and said filing enclosure made of a sheet material comprising a front panel and back panel each having a first portion, second portion and spaced opposed third and fourth portions, said first portion of said front and back panel secured together to form a first closed portion, said second portion of said front and back panel secured together to form a second closed portion, and at least one of said third or fourth portions of said front and back panel each including a cut-out forming an open end with said other one of said third or fourth portion of said front and back panel secured together to form another closed portion, whereby a filing enclosure is formed having a dimension between said closed first and second portions greater than a first dimension of the diskette with the distance between said another closed portion and said open end of said third and fourth portions being less than a second dimension of the diskette such that the diskette projects outwardly beyond the periphery of said filing enclosure to permit viewing of said label, said filing enclosure and said label including indicia means that are visually similar to readily indicate matching placement of a diskette to a filing enclosure.
In one embodiment of the invention, one or both faces of the filing pocket is furnished with a special area (hereafter referred to as the "identification code field"), on which to write the identification code. In the preferred version of this embodiment, the location of the identification code field is selected in such a way that when the diskette is placed inside the pocket, the identification codes both on the diskette label and the pocket are close to each other so that it is easy to verify that the diskette is inside the right pocket. In a further embodiment of the invention, the identification code field on the pocket is located close to one of the top corners of the pocket, so that it stays at the top even when the pocket is stored in the upright position where it has been turned 90 degrees. Further, it is possible to preprint a frame on the identification code fields of both the sticker and the pocket so that both fields will appear visually substantially similar to each other.
In another embodiment of the invention, a special area is reserved for the notes of the user, facilitated by the presence of preprinted lines for this purpose on one or both faces of the pocket. As another enhancement of this embodiment, special fields can also be furnished for the title(s) of the diskette. It is preferable to place at least one of them close to the top section of the principal face of the pocket.
In another embodiment of the invention, the face of the pocket is made so high that it covers the major part of the top of the diskette, so that the top of the pocket is easily seen when several of them are stored simultaneously in the vertical position inside standard, commercially available storage boxes. In a further embodiment of the invention, the top of the pocket can be extended well above the top edge of the diskette to serve as an index tab. In a preferred version of this embodiment, the index tab section is manufactured as one long index tab, which can be cut by the user to create tabs of various smaller sizes and/or different locations along the top edge of the pocket.
It is also possible to preprint certain alphanumeric characters on special locations on the pocket, so that these alphanumeric fields can be used to identify the type of data stored on the diskette. It is also possible to color code the diskette/filing pocket combination by printing the identification label for the diskette and the principal sections of the pocket in the same distinctive color.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the bottom section of the filing enclosure is constructed in such a way that the diskette cannot reach the extreme outer edge of the bottom section of the filing enclosure when inserted inside the enclosure. This restricted section of the filing enclosure can hereby serve as a finger-grip area to allow the user of the enclosure to get a good hold on the enclosure without grabbing the diskette when the said diskette is being pulled out from the enclosure.
The invention, as exemplified by preferred embodiments, is described with reference to drawings in which: